58 " THETIS " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



They reminded nie of nothing so much as a flock of little birds 

 scudding over the surface. They did not rise over the water 

 more than four or five feet, which elevation was quickly attained. 

 The course was not at all a trajectory, but quite horizontal, and 

 after very careful watching I came to the conclusion that the 

 length of " flight " was not less than 250 yards, but sometimes 

 individuals would not travel more than a few feet. The method 

 of returning to the water was very sudden, being accompanied by 

 a splash, and the whole passage of the fish was extremely rapid. 



That this power of " flight " is not denied to young individuals 

 is shown by the fact that our smaller example, measuring but one 

 and three-quarter inches in length, was accompanying the flock 

 when cast on deck. 



Under the heading "Flying-fish, Exocoetus volitans" White 

 wrote*: — "This fish is so well known to naturalists, and is so 

 fi'equently seen in every voyage, that it is unnecessary to give a 

 particular description of it." Whether this fish, of which a 

 recognisable figure is given, was obtained off this coast or not, is 

 by no means clear, and the species has not therefore been 

 included in the fish literature of the Colony. 



FamUy FISTULAKIID^. 



F I S T U L A R I A, Linnceus. 



FISTULARIA SERRATA, Cuvier. 



Rough-billed Pipe Fish. 



Fisttdaria serrata, Cuv., Regne Anim. (after Bloch). Giinth., 

 Chall. Report, ZooL, i., 1880, p. 68, pi. xxxii., fig. c. 



Station 17. 



In describing this species as common in Port Jackson, Ogill^yf 

 voiced the general impression conveyed by the literature of the 

 subject. A careful study of the collection in the Museum shows 

 that whereas F. depressa, Giinth., is well represented, we have 

 but few examples of F. serrata, under which name nearly all the 

 specimens had been registered. All remarks in Australian 

 literature should, therefore, probably apply to F. dep7'ei<sa. This 

 latter species was taken by the " Challenger " in the Sulu 

 Archipelago. Tlie trawl had been down to 250 fathoms, l)ut 



* White— Voyage to New South Wales, 1790, p. 295, pi. Hi., fig. 2. 

 tOgilby— Cat. Fish, N.S.W., 1S86, p. 42. 



